Means for relieving the walls of receptacles from undue internal pressure.



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Patented Apr. 1 22, 1913.

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APPLIOATION FILED MAY 13, 1912.

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J. N. JOHNSON. MEANS FOR RBLIEVING THE WALLS 0F RECBPTAOLES FROM UNDUB INTERNAL PRESSUB 1,959,370;`

@WW1/Lc and- Stateof New Mexico,

STATES l PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN N; `JOHNSON, OF ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.

MEANS FOR RELIEVING THE WALLS 0F RECEPTACLES FROM UND'UE INTERNAL PRESSURE.:

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHNN. JOHNSON, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Albuquerque, in the county of Bernalillo have invented certain` new and useful ,Improvements in Means for Relieving the Walls of Receptacles from Undue Internal Pressure, of which the following `is a full, clear, and exact de scri tion.

T is invention relates to a novel pressure relief means for reserving rece tacles from injury when `su jected to un ue internal pressures; and more particularly to means of this general descriptionadapted for use in connection with mains or pipes which may be filled with a liquid, such as water,

which expands when undergoing a change in` for exam-` its physical state or condition, as ple, upon the conversion of water to ice.

The `invention while adapted to many uses is of particular value Vin preventing pi es filled with water from bursting when su jected to freezingtemperatures; and the exem liications thereof herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof,1relate more especially to constructions `adapted to this preferred use.

My invention also contemplates the provision of means for not only relieving the receptacle or `pipe to which they are applied from undue stress, butfurther aims to` expedite the `thawing' out of the frozen material so as to enable the pipe, conduit or the like to resume its proper function.

These and other objects of my invention will be hereinafter referred to and the novel elements and combinations of elements whereby said objects maybe attained will be more particularly `set forth in the 1 appended claims.

I may here state that I am aware of various changes and modifications which may be made in my `invention without departing from the'sprit thereof, and I hence desire to be limited only by the scope of the said claims.. 4

In the drawings, in which like reference `characters designatellik'e parts throughout the `several views,

beconsidered merely as by way of illustration.`

In said drawings: Figure is a longitudinal, vertical, median section of a pipe with a deformable or yielding hollow body there within. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the structure shown in Fig. `1, the section beingtaken on line II-II of said figure. tion of a pipe or conduit provided with a similar yieldlng body, but having also means co-acting therewith for supplying heat thereto. Fig. 4 is a similar section of still an-` other modiication showing a slightly modified deformable body or rather a plurality of the same, said bodies being provided with heating means and auxiliary apparatus. Fig. 5 is asimilar view of a still further modification, the heating means in the present instance being electrlcal. Fig. 6 is again a similar section showing` a further modification ofthe electrical heating device. Fi 7 is a transverse section of a deformab e bod shown in Fig. 4, the section being taken on ine VII-VII of said fi re. Fig. 8 is a transverse section of a modification of the deformable or yielding body shown in Fig-` 2. Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 are similar sections of still other modifications of the said body.

A very simple form of the device hasbeen shown in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein a pipel contains a hermetically sealed tube or body broadly` desi l ated 2. This body is made preferably o material of relatively high tensile strength, which is inherently resilient. In practice I prefer to makesuch s ring steel, drawn or rolled co er or the llke and the. walls thereof shoul he of suffi cient strength to resist the pressure to which they may normali be subjected b the fluid 3 in the pipe. odies of this escription should preferably be hollow although I do not desire to `be limited to such construction, the essential feature being that they may be deformed comparatively readily,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, vertical secbodies of when subiected to undue strain or ressure,

so that the will occupy less space t en they normally o; while after the excess pressure is relieved they should be able of themselves, and without extraneous infiuence, to resume their normal shape. The presence of air in the tube or body 1s therefore merely an incident. Soft rubber pipes or the like are impracticable on account of their necessarily short life. when steel tubes are immersed in li uid which might corrode or rust the same, ey

should be` galvanized or otherwise treated;

In the present invention` or coated to preserve them. Drawn or rolledv copper or brass bodies 'are preferabletin many cases, but I Ido not wish ,to be restricted to metal since other materials such as celluloid or the like may beemployed.

The deformable body shown .in F ig.` 2

consists of two halves respectively designated 4,15; and each of these halves 1s bowedy so `that in cross section Vthe body has substantially the form of a'mouth. When this body `is subjected'to pressure it is obvious that the sides thereof will be driventoward each other, as indicated by the dotted lines 6 in said figure, the seams or otherjointures or edges 7 upon the respective sides ofthe body, being driven apart.' Assumingnow that the pipe has been' filled with water .and that thisy body has been positioned therein,

preferably by anchoring thel same againstl 2o displacement by the water as bymeans of spring clips 8, and that the temperature of the water is thenflowered below its freezing point. Water in congealing into ice ex- Vpands and would ordinarily tend to burst the pipe 1. The deformation of the body 2 is sufficient howeverto accommodate this increased bulk of the now congealed matter and the pipe is relieved from'such excessive stress as mightdisruptthe same. It is ob.

vious, of course, that many different shapes may be given to this deformable body and I have exemplified infFigs/Z, 8, 9, "10, 11 and 12 a few of these forms. The manner of deformation vof these bodies may, of course,

1be different, for whereas` in Fig. 2 the `over all width of the body is increased when pressureis applied tothe lateral walls thereof, inFg. 7 this width is actually decreased,l

' this being due to, the fact that the lateral 40 `walls are initially flat kor substantially so, 'rather than outwardly bowed, and when theyare .bowed inwardly toward4 each other the width of the body is decreased. The de! formable structure shown in Fig.v 8 behaves ,45 in a corresponding fashion, while thatv in Fig. 9 is, ina measure, intermediate .in its actionbetweenv the structurefshown in Fig.v

2 and that shown in Fig. 8; in this case the relatively 4extended walls arevflat and (may:

hencebe bowed towardeach other, but what ma be termed the edge wallsare angular an since the body as a whole is resilient,

it will, when deformed,assume the shape indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 9. The remaining lfigures need Vscarcelybe discussed to demonstrate the ,fact that with the ex-- f ceptions noted no particular shape or conformation is necessary; the essential feature being that when the body is deformed its y Volume is decreased. .70

Fig.` 3 showsl a body which in -cross section maybe the same as that shown in Fig. 2, for example. Intoeither end of this -resilient and more or less collapsible struc 4ture is secured a plpe; said pipes being re- 75 yspectively designated 9 and 10., The conduit or outer pipe l in the present case is closed at one extremity by a plug `11 the said extremity being connected to a downwardly or laterally extending pipe l2, which if de-80 sired may lead to a faucet or the like in a 1 y well known manner. The pipev 9 projects outwardly through a suitable orifice in the plugll -wh-ile the pipelO., the sections of which 'may be-connected together by quarter 85 turns as shown, project outwardly through a plugy 13 in the side `of the conduit. This. construction provides notonlyk a resilient collapsible or deformable body by means of whic the excess pressurein the pipe or conov duit may be relieved; but further provides means for thawing out theA pipe l after the ice has formed therein; steam'or hot` water being admitted, for example, through the pipelO and passing` out through the .n

pipe `9. As the ice melts the water therefrom will drain olf through the pipe 12 if` -the latter be downwardly directed. The 'collapsible or deformable body in this instance therefore, performs a dual function. It will be understood that when the deformable' body thus itself constitutes a part, at least,

of the means' for conveying or inclosing `the heat supplying medium, e. 1g. steam or water,

thatwhen collapsed lthere should still be space therein for the passage of such fluids.

,. In Fig. 4 I have exemplified a plurality of these collapsible bodies arranged serially in the 'pipe or conduit-1 the construction of which-.latter is in-many respects'much the 11o same as that in the instance previously discussed. In this case, however, instead of` extending one of the pipes through which the steam, hot water or other heating medium is passed, laterally through the wall of the conduit, both the inlet and outlet pipes for the heatingmediumare passed out through the plug 11; the hot water, for example, being introduced through pipe 10,y

and passing successivelythrough the bodies 21--22,' lthen coursing around in the latter of these and returning Ito emerge through the plug ll at 14; thus completing a lc ircuit through the bodies. If desired,` in order to -remove the hot water or condensed steam' 125 from the said pipe 10 or compressible body, compressed fluid such as air, may be blown therethrough, the latter being delivered from a tank 15 or other'source of the same.k

The heating pipe inthe form of device shown in Fig. 3 may, of course, also be pro vided with a compressed air tank 15, if desired.` The collapsible bodies in the form of device exemplified in Fig. 4 also perform a 5 dual function in that they are not onlyjdeformable but further serve as casings for the -heating means extending therethrough. In this form of the device, if the heating pipes be not initially spaced slightly from1 the side walls of the body, said pipes should be adapted to bend or yield when the body is deformed, as shown by the dotted linesv in Fig. 7.

It is obvious, of course, that various'heating means may be employed in lieu of those previously referred to. For example, suitable electrically heated Wires 16 may be disposed Within the collapsible body- 23, as shown in Fig. 5. In this case the latter may have any desired cross section which will adapt it for the purpose inquestion and the wires are led inthrough an insulating bush or socket 17 whichextends through the plug l1. I have shown the body 23 as being directly `connected to this plug, the latter hence serving to anchor said body. Heating by means of the electric current in the manner shown in Fig. 6` is particularly adapted for use in connection with pipes of extended length. Herein, while the conductor or heating wire 16 may be bent or otherwise formed so as to afford the requisite resistance the return wire 18 may be straight and of low resistance; thus but one `side being used for heat-ing long tubes. The heating current may be drawn from any convenient source of the same, as for example from a lighting circuit. In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown a mass of compressible material 19 within. the deformable bodies 23, this material in the present instancebeing asbestos fiber or other insulating `material which is adapted to eiiciently insulate the conductive wires from said bodies. It is to be understood, however, .that these latter may themselves be of `insulating material, if desired. The collapsible or deformable bodies are preferably l, anchored in the receptacles or pipes vvithin which they are disposed, but the manner of so doing and of connecting said bodies, when they are connected, is, in the broadest aspects of the invention, immaterial. There are, however, certain advantages to be derived from usingthe pipes which convey the heatingmedium as `the connecting and anchoring means, as shown inA Fig. 4, for example; but I do not desire to be limited to any `specific disposition or form of `supporting or attaching device or devices since it is clearly obvious that many forms of the same may be em loyed.

While I do not desire to be -mited to any specific pro ortionlor ratio of the volume of the collapsible body or bodies to the recep- 65 tacle orpipe in which they are disposed;

where the liquid subject to congelation is water I have estimated that theoretically the volume of the collapsible bodies should be about one-eighth of that of the pipe or receptacle. In practice, however, I prefer to make said bodies usually of from oncfifth to one-sixth the volume of the pipe. They are intended to be inserted into water i es, for example,in places Where freezing is iable and they should preferably extend through the pipe wherever the latter is exposed to freezing, temperatures. The ipe, of course, may deformable body may be tubular as shown in Fig. 1, or there may be a series of the same connected together, if desired, as indi` cated in Fig. 4or 1n any other suitable manner.

I have shown connecting means, z'. e. the connection 20, in Fig. 4 for joining the bodies together, said means also in 'this instance serving as the means for connecting the respective `sections of the pipe 10 together.

What I particularly desire to em hasize is the fact that by thus making the eformable bodies of highly resilient material I am enabled to construct the device in the simplest possible and most durable manne 'Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination of a receptacle with pressure relief means for the same, said means comprising a deformable body in said receptacle adapted to be appreciably deformed only by a determined abnormal pressure in the medium within said receptacle in contact with said body, and means for heatin said body.

2. T e combination of a receptaclewith pressure relief means for the same, said means comprising a deformable body in said receptacle adapted to be ap reciablyV deformed only by a determined a normal pressure in the medium within said receptacle in contact with said body, means for heating said body, and means for anchoring said heatin means with respect to said receptac e. y

3'. The combination of a receptacle with pressure relief means for the same, said means comprising a deformable body in said receptacle adapted to be appreciably deformed only by a determined abnormal pressure in 'the medium within said receptacle in contact with said body, and combined anchoringand heating means for said body.

4. Means for relieving the walls of a water pipe from excessive pressure when the Water therein is converted to ice, said means comprising a deformable tubular body, said body being other than circular in cross-section and ada ted for insertion into said pipe, and means or heating said body when in place in said pipe.

e of any length `an thel f 5. Means for relieving the walls of a water pipe from excessive pressure when the t water therein is converted to ice, said means comprising a deformable tubular body, said bodybeing other than circular in cross-sec tioni `and adapted for insertion into said pipe,means `for heating said body when 'in place inl. said pipe, said heating means in` cluding` a. pipe adapted to convey a heating fluid, saidlastmentioned pipe being of less size than said water pipe;

6.` Means for relieving the walls of a water pipe from excessive pressure when the water therein is converted to ice, said means comprising a deformable tubular body, said body'being other than circular in cross-section` and adapted for insertion into said ppe,and means for heating said body when in place in said pipe, said heating 4means 'in- 1cluding a pipe adapted to convey a heating means for heating said; bodyV whereby to melt said ice.

8. Means `foiwrelieving` the walls s of fa` water pipe from excessive pressure when the water therein is converted to ice,said`means comprising a deformable-body adaptedfor v insertion into said pipe, in combination with i means for heating said` body whereby to meltsaid ice, said heating means including,"

a pipe'` for conveying `a. heated Huid, said last mentioned pipe connected to said body whereby to support the same.

9. Means `for v nelie'vlng 'theV wallsof `a Water pipe frolnexcessive pressure when theV water therein is converted to ice, said means i comprising a deformable body adapted for insertion linto said pipef in combination with -means for heating said body wherebyto melt said ice, said heating means including apipe for conveying `a heated fluid, and -means for eX elling `said fluid from said last lmentione pipe. i

In` Witness whereof, I subscribe my sig-` nature, in the presence of two witnesses. JOHN N.' JOHNSON- Witnesses WM. WATSON, H. B. RAY. 

